Messageboard - Development

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Perhaps with oil prices being as low as they are right now, it could fly with a 757 or 767. However, BA doesn’t use 757s anymore. They have 20 767-300ERs that could work, but here again they’ll need to adjust the fleet accordingly as those aircraft aren’t just sitting around waiting for a route. Still, if CMH-LHR is to be sustainable long term, it needs a newer fuel-efficient design.

Reading a bit more on BA’s fleet planning, it looks like they’ve currently got 13 787’s, with an additional 42 on order. They’re expecting an additional 11 787’s (all -900’s) to be delivered by the end of 2016. So, maybe that 2017 start of service is a little more reasonable…? They’ve also got an order for 18 A350’s, and will apparently start receiving those in 2018. However, those are the -1000’s, which would seem to be more than a little overkill for the CMH-LHR route.

My guess would be that the 787-9/350-1000 deliveries will free up some of their 787-8’s, and that’s where CMH might find its service.

do we know Ginther’s stance on Coleman’s proposal for this route? maybe we’ll get lucky and Coleman will work for this vision from “outside the system”. lol

It might be a good idea to find out. But the problem would be the other cities. Say a route between Dublin, a stop somewhere downtown and then onto CMH. But here is the problem. COLUMBUS. I have lived in many American cities and almost all of them are the same, as far as the big city is concerned, nothing lies beyond its borders. Columbus won’t run one inch of rail outside its borders, especially to a suburb or exurb. Do you think Columbus would run a line between Dublin and airport? What about Worthington? Hilliard? Negative.

I want and believe a regional transit system could be developed. I wouldn’t mind having to pay more taxes to get it. But it’ll never happen.

‘Columbus’ wouldn’t be the one to pay for, construct, or operate a rail line. While it might take the vision and support of the Columbus mayor, typically COTA would be charged with this undertaking and they draw their funding from the County as a whole. I fail to see why Columbus would stand in the way of connecting to suburban communities, especially if those suburbs are part of a Countywide tax to pay for it.

Now there are communities outside the county that would not pay such a tax because they are not part of COTA’s system. I could see why there would be resistance to extending a rail line beyond the County’s borders. But within the County I’m not following.

Mayor Coleman was only really pushing to get an Airport to downtown connection up and running – which might help with future expansions down the line. part of the idea was to expand the corporate/commercial corridor that runs along the south end of the airport (and along the existing rail) which would offer a wider daily ridership appeal.

do we know Ginther’s stance on Coleman’s proposal for this route? maybe we’ll get lucky and Coleman will work for this vision from “outside the system”. lol

It might be a good idea to find out. But the problem would be the other cities. Say a route between Dublin, a stop somewhere downtown and then onto CMH. But here is the problem. COLUMBUS. I have lived in many American cities and almost all of them are the same, as far as the big city is concerned, nothing lies beyond its borders. Columbus won’t run one inch of rail outside its borders, especially to a suburb or exurb. Do you think Columbus would run a line between Dublin and airport? What about Worthington? Hilliard? Negative.

I want and believe a regional transit system could be developed. I wouldn’t mind having to pay more taxes to get it. But it’ll never happen.

Columbus has actually put forth proposals to take rail to the suburbs. A plan in the early/mid 1990s had an 8-line system from Downtown to various suburbs, including Dublin, Hilliard, Worthington and Westerville. Unfortunately, bad timing and John Kasich stepped in to make sure it didn’t happen. So it is possible, but I just don’t think the city has the leadership to push for this right now. As much as I liked Coleman, this is one area that he should’ve pushed harder for. After the 2008 crash, rail transit was never brought up again by his administration.

Great news! I’m glad to see Frontier back at CMH. The routes they’ve chosen this time also seem very smart, both high traffic and those in need of more competition. Hope they find success and continue to expand here later on.